[Quick Look]

SI caught trafficking heroin

Three suspects including a Sub Inspector attached to the Police Field Force headquarters were arrested by the Wattegama Police while they were peddling heroin in Madawala, Wattegama on Monday afternoon.

Police said officers in mufti arrested the suspect Sub Inspector riding a motor cycle as he was trying to sell a packet of heroin to a police decoy. Two other suspects were arrested along with five packets of heroin.

Food drive campaign in Kalutara

K. A. Perera Wadduwa special corr.

Under the program of Api Wawamu Rata Nagamu a home garden will be set up in every house in Kalutara district to support the food drive campaign of the Government. It is planned to set up twenty five thousand home gardens, with a minimum of fifty gardens in each Grama Seva division.

The Agricultural Officers will supervise the home garden projects and encourage the farmers to utilize compost fertilizer.

Probe into UC member's death

Rafik Jalaldeen

Police are probing into a mysterious death of an Urban Council member following a heated argument with a Police Constable in Maharagama on Monday afternoon.

Ranasinghe A. Sunil, a member of the Maharagama Urban Council had met with an accident at Moraketiya junction around 1.30pm. while driving a van. Thereafter he has had an argument with the driver of the three wheeler involved and a passenger in the trishaw, Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekera said.

The trishaw passenger was a Police Constable who had been on leave that day. Sunil and the PC have lodged a complaint regarding the incident in Maharagama and Kottawa police stations respectively.

After lodging a complaint, Sunil had gone to the PC's residence with a mob and a heated argument had taken place between them. The PC with a group of people had chased Sunil and his accomplices away.

SSP Gunasekera said that while Sunil was running he had fallen and died. "It was not confirmed whether it was a natural death or a homicide. Sunil had been a heart patient", he added.

Pichchamal pooja on July 25

Ishara Mudugamuwa

The annual Pichcha Mal Pooja ( the offering of jasmine flowers)will be held for the 20th time organized by the Shanti Padanama at the Sri Maha Bodhi Shrine on July 25.

The Government is fully sponsoring the event since 2006. This is the 20th occasion and more than 1.5 million devotees will participate this year.

Ven Kotapola Amarakitti Thera told at a press conference at the Presidential Secretariat. He also said “Changing the attitudes of the people and making a peaceful country is the main purpose of organizing this kind of pooja. Jasmine is considered as the flower rich with purity from the past. Basically there should be spiritual progress in the minds of the people to make a better Sri Lanka.

Krishnamurti talk

A recorded public talk on “Understanding meditation requires order” delivered by the late Indian sage J. Krishnamurti will be replayed at Anula Nursery School hall, 310 High Level Road, Colombo 6 on Sunday, July 26 at 9.45 a.m.

Perahera

The Annual Maha Perahera of the Maturata Banagetenna - Sasuna Senasuna will be held on July 22. Randoli Maha Perahera from July 23 to July 24. Final Maha Perahera (day) will be held on July 25.

Free seminar

The Sri Lanka Institute of Printing under the Ministry of Mass Media and Information has organised a free workshop seminar in 3D Animation and Non Linear Editing to be held on August 2 from 8.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. at Sri Lanka Institute of Printing, Government Printing Department, No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08. Contact the SLIOP office on 2686162 or 2679791 to reserve a seat. Fax: 2686162, e-mail [email protected], Web:www.sliop.com

AGM

The 46th Annual General Meeting of People’s Bank Officers’ Association will be held on July 25, Saturday from 9.30 onwards at the “Anthurium” Hall of Galadari Hotel, Lotus Road, Colombo 01.

Madhu festival

The annual Madhu Shrine festival will be held in August with the Eucharistic procession and all the solemnities.

Pilgrims coming in their private vehicles should bring the registration papers of the vehicles and their National Identity Cards and could come through the Medawach-chiya check point.

Lecture

Head of the Metabolism Section of the Nutrition Research Division of the Department of Health, Canada, Dr. Nimal Ratnayaka will deliver a lecture on ‘Oils and Fats and Your Health’ on July 28 at 5 p.m.

It will be held at the P. P. G. L. Siriwardena Auditorium, Institute of Chemistry, 34/22, Kotte Road, Welikada, Rajagiriya.

Memorial Oration

The annual Susan George Pulimood Memorial Oration of Visakha Vidyalaya will be held July 23 at 5.15 pm in the Jeremias Dias Hall of the school.

The oration will be delivered by Dr. Ms. Ruchira Cumaranatunga, Senior Professor of Fisheries and Biology, University of Ruhuna.

Seminar

The Pathfinder Foundation (PF) will discuss the Draft National Transport Policy of the Transport Ministry at the 16th Public Seminar (Sanvada) to be held on July 23 from 8.30 am to 12.30 pm at Sri Lanka Foundation Institute Hall No. 2, No. 100, Independence Square, Colombo 7.

The PF a non-partism, research and advocacy institute is organizing this seminar in collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT).

Two injured as students clash at Colombo campus

Rafik Jalaldeen

Two university students were injured and six others arrested following a clash between members of the United Students’ Union and Podu Sishya Sangamaya at the Colombo University yesterday morning.

A clash erupted between two groups of students over a dispute, the arising from the staging of an Arts Festival in the Colombo University. Two students were injured and admitted to the hospital, police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekera said. Police arrested six students.

“Two students of the United Students’ Union and four students of Podu Sishya Sangamaya were taken into custody.

The clash also resulted extensive damage to university property.

The Cinnamon Garden Police is investigating.

[Corrections & Clarifications]

WHO clarifies

WHO Representative to Sri Lanka Dr. Firdosi Rustom Mehta has sent us the following clarification with respect to our news item titled WHO refutes London lies which appeared on Page 1 of the Daily News on July 18, 2009.

“The article is misleading as far as the title is concerned.”

“WHO is not engaged in a mud-slinging match with London-based newspapers. However, the figure attributed to IDP deaths in those papers is incorrect as elaborately clarified by the Secretary of Health, and is a distraction from the fact that IDPs’ health conditions are improving over time.”